


How Many Times Can One See An Angel

by Night_Lightning17



Category: Waterparks (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Circus, Alternate Universe - No Band, Chloe Is A Tightrope Walker, Circus, Cute, Cute Ending, Dance Metaphors, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, I Can't Believe I Wrote This, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Kinda, M/M, Pining, Pre-Relationship, Red Awsten, This was so self indulgent, anyway, awsten is a mess, it took forever too, just a straight disaster, no beta we die like men, pretty words in general, they don't get together in this but it's implied that they will later, this is the last parx fic youre getting outta me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-21 12:15:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30021660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Night_Lightning17/pseuds/Night_Lightning17
Summary: When Kris gets a job at a local circus, Awsten and Geoff (and Rory) go to watch their first performance. They do amazing, obviously, but Awsten finds himself infatuated with a magical aerial dancer nicknamed Angel, and they keep visiting the circus week after week to see him dance.(I kept putting this off because I didn't want to clean up the ending. It's been essentially finished for several months now.)
Relationships: Awsten Knight & Geoff Wigington, Awsten Knight/Otto Wood
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is just 1.8k words and two chapters of pretty words and infatuation.

One visit to one show hardly equated to a lifetime subscription. Most people who come watch the show, enjoy it, and leave. Awsten watches the show every time he can. There’s definitely a reason he keeps coming back. Curiosity, intrigue, the mystique of the show, they all play their parts but the biggest reason is probably a stunning circus jewel who goes by the pseudonym Angel. 

Everything starts when Kris starts working at their local circus. They had been looking for performance work for a while before getting hired and Awsten’s happy for them. The circus in question, while not super well known outside of their area, did pretty good for itself. Every performer received two free tickets before each show to give to their friends or family. 

Awsten’s not really sure how  _ he  _ got roped in. He doesn’t even really care that much about circuses. But Geoff had asked for him to see Kris’s first show with him and Awsten didn’t have anything better to do, so he said yes. 

When the show comes it’s a Friday evening, so it’s pretty crowded. They do manage to get good seats though, and Rory’s wonder and delight at everything around her is endearing to watch. A spotlight turns on in the dark arena, shining down on someone who Awsten assumes is the ringmaster. 

“Welcome to the one and only Goldensing Circus,” he says with a flourish. As he says it the tent floods with warm light. The crowd’s claps and cheers only get louder as the ringmaster plays the audience, preparing them for the first act. Music fills the tent as the first act is announced, which ends up being a strongman. It’s exciting at first, watching the different feats of strength that the guy presents. The crowd is clearly into it, meeting the guy with energetic cheers after every trick he does, but Awsten doesn’t really pay attention to the changing acts until it’s Kris's turn.

“Next up, is someone new. Everyone say hello to our lovely Symmetry and their riveting tightrope act!”  _ Symmetry?  _ Awsten turns to ask Geoff about it.

“What’s with the fancy circus name they’ve got going on?”

“They told me that everyone who works here gets to choose a nickname based on their act. Most of them choose fancy-sounding ones. Of course no one  _ has  _ to, but Kris said it adds a little something to the show.” Geoff turns back to watch Kris and their act. It’s impressive, that’s for sure. They’re very precise in their movements, which is probably what keeps them from falling to their death. Awsten shudders at the thought. He could never do anything like that. Kris finishes their set and walks out of sight. The ringmaster walks back into the arena.

“And that was Symmetry and their death-defying highwire skills. Now this is our last act of the night, our grand finale some might say. Are you ready?” The crowd shows their enthusiasm through their raucous cheers. “Anyone who’s been here before knows him! Now presenting: our amazing Angel!” The lights dim again and the crowd quiets when slow music starts to fill the tent. Awsten is so focused on where all the other acts entered that he almost doesn’t notice the silver silk ribbons descending from the ceiling. 

A person is tangled in the silks. His hair falls in his face. He lays there casually, like he isn’t a single misstep away from certain doom. The crowd is entrenched in darkness; the only lights are trained on the person. The silver of the silks glow where the lights hit them. The music intensifies some and the person–Angel–starts his act. He moves fluidly and gracefully and something about it is mesmerizing. The way he climbs and hangs from the silks makes it look like he’s floating on air. Maybe he is. There’s something about his movements, something gorgeous and enchanting and  _ ethereal _ . Awsten is spellbound. If someone told him right then that angels were real and that he was looking at one right now he wouldn’t hesitate for a second before believing them. 

The angel’s dance seems to last forever in a second, and when it’s over Awsten is left with the distinct feeling of wanting  _ more.  _ The daze he’s in, the spell that the angel put on him, it lingers. He walks out of the tent on autopilot. All he can think of is the hazy glow that surrounded the dancer as he moved, daring the fates to make him fall, daring gravity to claim him like it had so many others. 

“Hey dude, are you okay,” Geoff asks. “You seem kind of out of it.”

Awsten can barely get his brain to form the words he needs. “Yeah, I’m fine.” 

“You did good. I enjoyed watching you,” he says when Kris joins them.

“Thanks. I was so nervous before. Because it was my first show with them and there were so many people watching and everything,” they say. 

“You did great,” Geoff assures them.

“What were your favorite acts,” they say, turning to address both of them. 

“Rory  _ really _ liked the clowns. I think that, aside from yours, I think that my favorite was the fire breather. I just don’t understand how people are able to do stuff like that,” Geoff says amiably. Kris turns to Awsten.

“What about you?”

“Um, the–the dancer. Angel.” Kris nods.

“Oh yeah, Otto. Nice guy. I’m pretty sure he was one of the first people to join.” Kris turns back to Geoff and starts talking about something else. Awsten isn’t really listening. 

Otto. It’s such a simple name. Too simple for someone as magical and  _ ethereal  _ as him. Awsten doesn’t think it does him justice. Angel works much better, encapsulating everything about his performance into a name. 

“Hey Kris,” he asks.

“Hmm?”

“Are the acts in the same order every show?”

“Yeah they are. Why do you ask?”

“No reason, just curious,” he says before leaving them to go find his car. 

He thinks about Angel as he drives home. Awsten doesn’t know quite what it is about him and his performance that’s so entrancing, but he won’t leave his head. He must have danced through Awsten’s neural pathways and tangled them, making Awsten incapable of any other thought because he doesn’t go away.

Kris mentioned that the shows were every week. He makes up his mind to go to the next one, if only to watch the captivating performer again. He falls asleep that night thinking of glowing lights and a floating form. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second part pog

Eight shows and two months pass. The shows become a sort of routine. Every week Awsten would purchase a ticket beforehand, slip into the show before the last act, watch the performer dance, and leave. The dance the angel did is never any less spellbinding than it was the first time. Awsten couldn’t think of the words to describe it. Stunning, entrancing,  _ beautiful,  _ they didn’t do the angel justice, and maybe nothing could.

\-----------------

There’s another show this Friday and Awsten is sick. Like, really sick. He had woken up three days ago burning up from the inside with fever. While the fever, along with all the other side effects that came along with this particular sickness are getting more manageable, it means he has to miss today’s show. A part of him is disappointed, but mostly he’s too sick to care. Besides, he could always see another one. He falls asleep thinking about Angel, just like he had many times before. 

\-----------------

One more week has passed and it’s Friday again. Awsten purchases his ticket and walks inside the familiar building. He’s late. He always is. So far he’s tried not to be seen by Kris. He doesn’t think it’s worked, but if they know anything they haven’t said anything about it. He grabs a seat by the sidelines. The good seats are always gone by the time Awsten shows up, but that’s just the price to pay. He’s just here for Angel. 

The lights dim and the music starts. It’s the same dance every time, supposed to be quick entertainment for someone looking for some mindless fun. It wasn’t meant for what Awsten’s doing, squeezing every golden drop from the dance until it loses its shine. But Awsten could watch it a million times and still be dazzled by its sparkle. 

The dancer is lowered down by the silver wings of his silks. Awsten follows the memorized movements of his body with his eyes. Angel keeps looking in Awsten’s direction. Just once, he  _ swears  _ he looks right at him. He tries to be reasonable, to tell himself that Angel was probably looking at something else, but his heart rate won’t slow down.

Awsten walks out the main exit. He weaves through the crowd and startles when someone taps his shoulder. He turns around and— _ oh shit _ . Angel is standing right in front of him. 

“I didn’t see you last time. Where were you,” he says.

“Uh,” Awsten says, brain not fully catching up to reality. “What?”

“You’ve been to every show for like two months or something. I didn’t see you last time. What happened?”

Awsten flounders for a response, not fully comprehending the fact that Angel not only  _ noticed him,  _ but also  _ noticed his absence the single time he didn’t come.  _ “Uh, I was sick,” he manages. “Wait, how did you know I’ve been to all the shows anyway?”

“You have bright red hair. It’s cute, but not exactly subtle, if that’s what you’re going for,” Angel says, giving Awsten a smile. And he is  _ definitely  _ magical because when he does, all of Awsten’s cognitive brain function stops. He runs a hand through his hair, a little self-conscious after  _ Angel,  _ of all people, called it  _ cute.  _

“I don’t understand why you keep coming. Most people only come once or twice, and  _ definitely  _ not every week for several months. Is it someone in particular that you’re coming to see? Like family or…,” Angel trails off. 

_ Well shit.  _ Awsten blushes a shade that could almost rival his hair as he stumbles over his words. 

“Well I uh, I—I come to see you.”

Angel is visibly surprised at this answer, and Awsten can tell he’s a little bit pleased too. 

“How about I just give you my number instead so that you don’t have to keep watching me do the same dance  _ every week _ ,” he says, amusement evident in his voice. 

“Uh okay, that sounds good,” Awsten all but whispers. Angel writes his number down on a paper napkin and gives it to Awsten, who wastes no time plugging it into his phone.

😇. That’ll do. 

Angel gives him one last smile and then walks away. Awsten stands silently for a minute before realizing that he’s standing in an empty concession area for a show that already happened. 

He drives home happily, with a new number in his phone and a new feeling in his heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this is probably my best work I've posted on this website, which doesn't say a lot because all my good stuff stays in my docs

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr is this-exists-for-some-reason and I scream a lot there.


End file.
